Ninth report from the Committee of Ministers to the Consultative Assembly in accordance with Article 19 of the Statute
Statutory report
| Doc. 806
| 18 April 1958
1
1. In accordance with Article 19 of the Statute of the
Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers has the honour to
present its Ninth Report to the Consultative Assembly on the occasion
of its Tenth Ordinary Session.
2. This Report forms a sequel to the two supplementary reports
(Docs. 710 and 770) transmitted to the Assembly in October 1957
and January 1958 respectively, and covers the period from 10th January
to 27th April 1958.
3. During this period t h e Ministers' Deputies held five meetings:
- 56th meeting (4th-8th February
1958),
- 57th meeting (24th, 25th and 27th- 29th March 1958),
- 58th meeting (26th March 1958),
- 59th meeting (15th April 1958), and
- 60th meeting (25th and 26th April 1958).
4. The report follows the same plan as the previous reports of
the Committee of Ministers:
Section
I – Steps to achieve the aims of the Council of Europe.
Section II – Council of Europe machinery and administration.
Section III – Relations with other international organisations.
2 SECTION I – Steps
to achieve the aims of the Council of Europe
2.1 CHAPTER I – Political
Questions
2.1.1 (a) General policy
of the Council of Europe
5. The Committee of Ministers duly intends to examine
the results of the steps taken by the Assembly in connection with
paragraph 3 (c) of Recommendation 150 (1957). Both this Recommendation
and Resolution 145 (1958) remain on its agenda.
2.1.2 (b) European co-operation
in the field of atomic energy
6. With regard to Assembly Resolution 139 (1957) the
Committee of Ministers would draw the Assembly's attention to the
following points.
i On 17th December
1957 the Council of the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation
set up a European Nuclear Energy Agency and, at the same time, approved
an International Convention on the Establishment of a Security Control
in the field of nuclear energy, which was signed on 20th December 1957
by the seventeen member countries of 0. E. E. C. On the same date,
the Governments of the Federal Republic of Germany, Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, France, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden,
Switzerland and Turkey agreed to set up a European Company for the
Chemical Processing of Irradiated Fuels (Eurochemic) which is the
first international undertaking concerned with the peaceful use
of nuclear energy.
ii Article 18 (b) of the Statute of the European Nuclear
Energy Agency provides that the Steering Committee of the Agency
shall establish relations with international governmental Organisations concerned
with nuclear energy questions. Furthermore, in a report submitted
to the Council on 25th October 1957 by the Steering Committee for
Nuclear Energy, it was provided that the activities of the Agency
would form the subject of an annual report to the Council of Europe,
whereby the Consultative Assembly would be kept informed of the
development of European co-operation in this field.
iii With regard to the form which the liaison between Euratom
and the European Nuclear Energy Agency might assume, it should be
pointed out that Article 19 (b) of the Statute of the Agency provides
for the establishment of close collaboration with the European Atomic
Energy Community, and the Euratom Commission is already represented
at Sessions of the Agency's Steering Committee.
iv Article 16 of the Convention of 20th December 1957 on
the Establishment of a Security Control provides that an agreement
shall be entered into between 0. E. E. C. and Euratom defining the
arrangements under which the control established by the Convention
shall be carried out within the territory to which the Rome Treaty
of 25th March 1957 applies, by the competent bodies of Euratom,
by delegation from the Agency. This provision also seems likely
to prevent duplication in the operation of the control machinery
provided for by both 0. E. E. C. and the European Atomic Energy
Community.
2.1.3 (c) Release of
political prisoners in Central and Eastern Europe
7. The Committee of Ministers has noted Assembly Resolution
142 (1958).
2.2 CHAPTER II - Economic
Questions
2.2.1 (a) Co-ordination
of the policies of Member States at G. A. T. T. with regard to the
Treaty instituting the European Economic Community
8. In accordance with the terms of the Supplement to
the Agreement between the Council of Europe and 0. E. E. C, which
appears as an appendix to Resolution (57) 27 of the Committee of
Ministers, the Secretary-General has transmitted Assembly Recommendation
157 (1958) to 0. E. E. C.
9. The CE/OEEC Liaison Committees considered this. Recommendation
at their 21st joint session on 13th February 1958. It was agreed
that the Council of 0. E. E. C. should be asked to give its views
on the suggestion put forward by the Assembly in its Recommendation
and that the Council of Europe should be informed of the conclusions
reached by 0. E. E. C. on this subject.
2.2.2 (b) Restrictive
business practices
10. The Committee of Ministers had at one time decided
to create a Committee of Experts to give its opinion as to. the
advisability of concluding a European Convention for protection
against restrictive business practices (Doc. 543, para. 17).
11. The Committee of Ministers has now decided, however, not to
convene such a Committee until the results of the OEEC negotiations
on the Free Trade Area are known.
2.3 CHAPTER III - Social
Questions
2.3.1 (a) Public Health
12. After considering the report drawn up by the Committee
of Experts on Public Health at its seventh session (12th-14th December
1957), the Committee of Ministers took the following decisions:
2.3.1.1 (i) Unification
of regulations, standards and methods with regard to the transport
of corpses
13. The Committee of Ministers adopted Resolution (58)
8 which reads as follows:
" The
Committee of Ministers,
Having regard to the proposals put forward by the Committee
of Experts on Public Health at its seventh session concerning the
unification of regulations, standards and methods with regard to
the transport of corpses;
Being convinced of the desirability of facilitating the
transport of corpses between the European countries;
Believing an intra-European agreement to be unnecessary
for the time being;
Noting with approval the provisions laid down in the International
Arrangement concerning the conveyance of corpses, signed at Berlin
on 8th February 1937,
Resolves to invite Member Governments of the Council of
Europe to comply as far as possible with the regulations laid down
in the said Agreement. "
2.3.1.2 (ii) Free circulation
among member countries of fdms on health education
14. The Committee of Ministers adopted Resolution (58)
9 as follows:
" The Committee
of Ministers,
Having regard to the proposals put forward by the Committee
of Experts on Public Health at its seventh session;
Considering that the Florence Convention, prepared under
the auspices of UNESCO, contains appropriate provisions for the
international exchange of health education films;
Considering, moreover, that the Consultative Assembly
at its Fourth Session in September 1952, adopted Recommendation
33 inviting member countries to ratify this Convention,
Resolves to draw the attention of Governments to the contents
of this Recommendation ".
15. The Committee of Ministers also approved the inclusion of
the following subject in the agenda of the next session of the Committee
of Experts: " Mutual assistance in cases of serious accidents and
disasters occurring in frontier zones."
2.3.2 (b) Medical fellowships
16. The Selection Committee for the award of Council
of Europe medical fellowships for 1958 met in Strasbourg on 3rd
and 4th March 1958. Its members were: M. W. von Schmieden, Chairman,
former Research Director of the Secretariat-General of the Council
of Europe, Professor J. Parisot, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine,
Nancy, Dr. M. Tottie, Director-General of Public Health, Stockholm.
The European Regional Office of W. H. 0. was represented by an observer.
17. With an appropriation of 10,800,000 francs the Selection Committee
was able to award individual fellowhips for the current year up
to a total of 111 months, as follows :
- 2 fellowhips of one month
- 4 fellowships of a month and a half
- 10 fellowships of two months
- 1 fellowship of two and a half months
- 24 fellowships of three months
- 1 fellowship of three and a half months
- 1 fellowship of five months
- Total : 43 fellowships.
18. The fellowships were distributed among the member countries
which had put forward candidates as follows:
- Country - Number of fellowships
- Number of months
- Austria - 4 - 9
- Belgium - 3 - 6 1/2
- Denmark - 3 - 9
- Fed. Rep. of Germany - 3- 9
- France - 3 - 9
- Greece - 3 - 8 1/2
- Ireland - 4 - 8
- Italy - 3 - 9
- Netherlands - 3 - 7 1/2
- Norway - 3- 8
- Sweden - 4 - 9 1/2
- Turkey - 4 - 9
- United Kingdom - 3 - 9
- Total : 43 - 111
19. The Committee of Ministers has approved the new regulations
for medical fellowships which the Committee of Experts proposed
should take effect as from 1st January 1959 (see Appendix I).
2.3.3 (c) Social Charter
20. The Committee of Ministers has approved the principle
of a tripartite European meeting which will be devoted to examining
the draft Social Charter drawn up by the Social Committee. It is
continuing to examine, in conjunction with I. L. O., the details
of organising this meeting.
2.3.4 (d) Housing problem
21. After a preliminary examination of Assembly Recommendation
154 (1958), the Committee of Ministers decided to refer it to the
Social Committee for an opinion, in the light of which it will reconsider
the Recommendation.
2.3.5 (e) Agreement on
the Exchange of War Cripples with a view to Medical Treatment
22. The Agreement on the Exchange of War Cripples, which
was signed in Paris on 13th December 1955 by all Member States of
the Council of Europe except Iceland, has now been ratified by Austria,
Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.-It is in course
of ratification by Belgium and Turkey, and ratification proceedings
will shortly be set in motion by the Netherlands.
2.4 CHAPTER IV – Cultural
Questions
2.4.1 (a) Cultural Fund
of the Council of Europe
2.4.1.1 Establishment of
the Fund
23. The Committee of Ministers is continuing its examination
of the Statute of the Cultural Fund and expects to complete the
draft-ting of the text in the near future.
2.4.1.2 Use of the Fund
in the university sphere
24. After consulting the Committee of Cultural Experts
with regard to the proposals in Assembly Recommendation 108 (1957)
concerning the use of the Cultural Fund of the Council of Europe
in the university sphere, the Committee of Ministers came to the
conclusion that these proposals should be considered by the Administrative
Board of the Cultural Fund when it had been set up.
2.4.1.3 Amendment of Article
38 of the Statute
25. The Committee of Ministers will take a decision on
Assembly Resolution 71 (1955) concerning the amendment of Article
38 of the Statute with a view to setting up the Cultural Fund at
the same time as it decides on the whole question of the Statute
of the Fund.
2.4.2 (b) International
Bureau of Education
26. The Committee of Ministers has decided not to give
effect to the proposal contained in Assembly Recommendation 126
(1957).
2.4.3 (c) International
Computation Centre
27. The Committee of Ministers has decided not to give
effect to Assembly Recommendation 127 (1957).
2.4.4 (d) European Cultural
Convention
28. Austria deposited its instrument of ratification
of this Convention with the Secretary-General of the Council of
Europe on 4th March 1958.
29. The Convention has now been ratified by the following member
countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Federal Republic of
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.
2.4.5 (e) European Convention
on the Equivalence of Periods of University Study
30. This Convention was ratified by France on 18th February
and by Italy on 29th March 1958.
31. The following countries have so far ratified the Convention:
Austria, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom
32. The Bureau of the Committee of Cultural Experts met in Strasbourg
on 25th and 26th February 1958 to prepare the 14th plenary Session
of the Committee, which will take place next June.
33. The Sub-committee on the equivalence of diplomas met on 28th
February to consider the questions of inter-employability and the
equivalence of university qualifications, as also the promotion
of scientific research. The recommendations of the Sub-committee
on these matters will be considered by the Committee of Cultural Experts
at its next session.
2.5 CHAPTER V – Convention
for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Yearbook of the decisions and
documents of the European Commission of Human Rights
34. The Committee of Ministers adopted Resolution (58)
2 as follows:
" The Committee
of Ministers, Having considered the proposal of the Secretariat-General
concerning the annual publication of decisions and documents of
the European Commission of Human Rights, Resolves:
1. To approuve the project for the publication entitled:
European Commission of Human Rights Decisions and Documents
Year
2. The publication shall be published under the responsibility
of an editorial committee consisting of members of the Commission
and its secretariat. The Secretary-General is authorised to conclude
for this purpose a contract with N.V. Mar-tinus Nijhoff's Boekhandel
on Uitgeversmaat-schappij, The Hague, for a first edition of 1,500
copies.
3. Any expenses to a maximum sum of 600,000 francs which
may be incurred in accordance with the above arrangements shall
be charged to the appropriation under Sub-Head 54 (b) of the Budget
of the Council of Europe ".
2.6 CHAPTER VI – Legal
and Administrative Questions
2.6.1 (a) Simplification
of frontier formalities
2.6.1.1 For motor vehicles
35. The Committee of Ministers has studied the report
of the sixth meeting of the Special Committee which was held in
Athens from 3rd to 6th March 1958.
36. It has been informed of the decisions of the Governments of
Denmark, France and the Benelux countries to abolish customs papers
for the temporary import of private motor vehicles registered abroad
as from 1st April 1958.
37. The Norwegian Government has adopted the same measure as from
15th April 1958.
38. The Irish and Italian Governments have announced that they
are considering the possibility of taking similar steps.
39. Customs papers for the temporary import of motor vehicles
registered abroad have now been abolished by the following countries:
Austria (since 1st August 1957), Federal Republic of Germany, Sweden,
Switzerland (since 1st January 1958), Belgium, Denmark, France,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway.
2.6.1.2 For refugees
40. On a proposal of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees, the Committee of Ministers has adopted a number of
measures concerning refugees in Resolution (58) 5, which reads as
follows:
" The Committee of Ministers,
Having examined the memorandum submitted by the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees concerning measures for facilitating
travel by refugees,
1. Recommends that Member Governments, pending signature
of the Multilateral Agreement on the abolition of visas for travel
between member countries, by refugees lawfully residing in the territory
of any of them:
a issue entry visas
to such refugees free of charge at least for visits of up to three
months' duration;
b speed up the procedure for the issue of entry visas to
such refugees by their consular authorities, especially in cases
where the journey is of particular urgency for compassionate reasons;
where the refugee has received an entry visa previously; where the
refugee has to travel in pursuit of cultural, educational or scientific
activities, or where the refugee has to travel in the exercise of his
profession ;
2. Recommends, further, that Member Governments which
are parties to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees
shall issue a uniform travel document in conformity with the provisions
of that Convention, including those concerning the period of validity
of the document and of the return clause;
3. Recommends ,finally, that Member Governments which
are not parties to the London Agreement of 1946 or to the 1951 Convention
should accede thereto and issue the travel document for which the Convention
provides, or, failing this, issue for the benefit of refugees a
document in lieu of passport conforming to the provisions of either
of these instruments ".
41. The next meeting of the Special Committee will be held at
The Hague on 26th and 27th June.
2.6.1.3 Possibilities of
promoting foreign traval by citizens of Member States in the territory
of other Member States
42. The reply of the Committee of Ministers to Sections
B and D of Recommendation 81 (1955) was brought to the notice of
the Assembly in the Supplementary Report to the 8th Statutory Report
(Doc. 710, paras. 135 to 141).
43. As regards Section A of the Recommendation, the majority of
the Member States have furnished a detailed account of the action
they are taking on Resolution (52) 47 of the Committee of Ministers.
44. From the information supplied it is clear that Member Governments
are striving to improve mutual understanding between the peoples
of Europe. In this spirit they have taken and continue to take numerous steps
to promote the exchange of teachers, students, technicians and workers
among the Member States, particularly by increasing the number of
grants to their own and foreign nationals.
45. The information supplied by the Governments also forms the
subject of a reply from the Committee of Ministers to the President
of the Assembly for the attention of Dr. Broughton, who submitted
a written question to the Committee of Ministers on this subject.
2.6.2 (b) European Civil
Service
46. After a preliminary examination of Assembly Recommendation
155 (1958), the Committee of Ministers instructed the Secretary-
General to approach the Common Market and Euratom Commissions concerning
the matters raised in this Recommendation, and, in particular, the
question of the participation of representatives of these Commissions
in the Working Party.
47. The Committee of Ministers will consider the Recommendation
again when it has heard the views of the new Communities.
2.6.3 Arbitration procedure
in respect of international relations of private law
48. After considering Assembly Recommendation 156 (1958),
the Committee of Ministers adopted Resolution (58) 6 as follows:
" The Committee of Ministers,
Having regard to Recommendation 156 (1958) of the Consultative
Assembly on arbitration procedure in respect of international relations
of private law;
Considering the work in this field now in progress under
the auspices of the United Nations;
Instructs the Secretary-General to convene a committee
of government experts to examine the possibility of concluding a
convention in the framework of the Council of Europe in accordance
with the principles laid down in the Recommendation mentioned above,
it being understood that such convention might be limited to certain
of the aims recommended by the Assembly;
Resolves that the expenses of one expert per Member State
shall be borne by the Council of Europe ".
2.6.4 (d) Work of Committees
of Experts on Legal Questions
49. The Committee of Ministers thought it might be useful
to give the Assembly a brief survey of the stage reached in the
work of the Committees of Experts dealing with legal matters:
2.6.4.1 (i) Committee of
Legal Experts on Mutual Assistance in regard to Criminal Proceedings
50. The work of this Committee, which met again from
16th to 23rd April 1958, is complementary to that of the Committee
of Experts on Extradition, which resulted in the European Convention
on Extradition, signed on 13th December 1957.
51. At their next meeting the experts will give their final consideration
to the draft Convention, which will then be submitted to the Governments
and to the Committee of Ministers.
2.6.4.2 (ii) Committee
of Experts on the Liability of Innkeepers
52. This Committee held a preliminary meeting at which
they agreed on the desirability of a uniform law in all countries,
in view of the expansion of international tourism.
53. In accordance with the suggestion made by the Assembly in
its Recommendation 125 (1957), the Committee of Experts based its
work on the draft uniform law prepared by the Rome Institute in
1935 and consulted the British Act of 1956.
54. A further meeting of the Committee of Experts is contemplated
for September 1958.
2.6.4.3 (iii) Committee
of Experts on the Treatment of Legal Persons
55. This Committee met from 20th to 29th January 1958.
56. The proposed Convention is to some extent supplementary to
the European Convention on Establishment signed on 13th December
1955, which was concerned only with natural persons.
57. The Committee of Experts will probably meet again early in
June.
2.6.4.4 (iv) Committee
of Experts on Compulsory Motor Insurance
58. This Committee met from 19th to 26th February 1958,
at the request of the Committee of Ministers, in order to study
the observations put forward by a number of Governments on the draft
Convention it has prepared. The experts have now completed their
work, and the draft Convention is at present under consideration
by the Committee of Ministers.
2.6.5 (e) Prevention
of Crime and Treatment of Offenders
59. The first meeting of the Committee of Experts responsible
for preparing and carrying out a plan of action for the Council
of Europe in this field will take place in Strasbourg from 30th
June onwards.
2.6.6 (f) European Convention
for the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes
60. The first country to ratify the Convention, which
was signed in Strasbourg on 29th April 1957, was Norway, on 27th
March 1958.
61. The Convention must be ratified by a second country before
it can come into force.
2.7 CHAPTER VII – Information
Questions
2.7.1 (a) The Brussels
Exhibition
62. The programme of the Brussels Exhibition includes
two events of special interest to the Council of Europe:
- 5th May 1958: Ceremony to mark
the ninth anniversary of the signing of the Statute of the Council
of Europe;
- 3rd September 1958: Official Council of Europe Day and
academic meeting to mark the fifth anniversary of the entry into
force of the Convention on Human Rights.
2.7.2 (b) Television
63. The Committee of Experts instructed to make proposals
for carrying out the recommendations of the Berne Bureau on the
removal of legal obstacles arising from authors' rights to the exchange
of television programmes in Europe, met in Strasbourg from 13th
to 16th January 1958.
64. It is planned to hold a second meeting next July.
2.8 CHAPTER VIII –
Participation of Local and Municipal Authorities in European Activities
Second Conference of Local Authorities
65. On 5th February 1958, the Committee of Ministers
adopted Resolution (58) 1, as follows:
" The Committee of Ministers,
Considering that under the terms of its Resolution (57)
28 of 14th December 1957 it decided to make the necessary arrangements
for the holding of another European Conference of Local Authorities
in 1958;
Having regard to Resolution (57) 30 of 17th December 1957
approving the Budget of the Council for the Financial Year 1958;
Having regard to the second paragraph of Article 5 of
the Financial Regulations,
Resolves that a new Sub-Head 40 (a), entitled « Conference
of Representatives of National Associations of Local Authorities
» and credited with the sum of 5,000,000 French francs, shall be
opened in the 1958 Budget ".
66. The Committee of Ministers considered that it should be left
to the Assembly to allocate the credits for the organisation of
the Conference as it thought fit.
3 SECTION II – Council
of Europe machinery and administration
3.1 (a) Permanent Representatives
of Governments to the Council of Europe
67. M. E. Lôchen was appointed Permanent Representative
of Norway on 1st February 1958 in succession to M. H. Nord.
68. M. H. Reichmann was appointed Permanent Representative for
Austria on 19th February 1958 in succession to M. E. Ludwig.
3.2 (b) Facilities
to be granted to Assembly Representatives (Assembly Opinion No.
22)
69. The Committee of Ministers adopted the following
Resolution (58) 4:
" The Committee
of Ministers,
Having regard to Opinion No. 22 of the Consultative Assembly;
Having regard to the decision on this Opinion which it
took at the second meeting of its 21st Session;
Having regard to Resolution (57) 30 of 16th December 1957
approving the Budget of the Council of Europe for the Financial
Year 1958;
Having regard to Article 5, paragraph 2, of the Financial
Regulations;
Considering that appropriations should be granted to enable
members of the Assembly to secure the reimbursement of certain expenses
incurred in the discharge of specific duties for the Council of
Europe,
Resolves:
Article 1. — Sub-Head 36 « Representational and other
official expenses incurred by members of the Assembly » of the Budget
for the Financial Year 1958 shall be amended as follows: Appropriation 3,650,000
This appropriation is intended to cover the reimbursement of:
a entertainment and similar expenses
incurred by the Vice-President of the Assembly and by Committee
Chairmen and Rapporteurs - 500,000
b travelling expenses and subsistence allowances of members
of the Assembly who, as part of their specific duties, proceed to
meetings of certain Council organs held between Assembly Sessions
(Bureau, Joint Committee, Joint Cultural Committee.C.E./O.E.E.C.
Liaison Committee, attendance at meetings of Committee of Minister's
organs, etc.) - 1,650,000
c miscellaneous expenses incurred by members of the Assembly
in the discharge of specific duties for the Council of Europe, such
as those for secretarial assistance, documentation and travel - 1,500,000
Article 2. — Appropriations under this Sub-Head may be
utilised only on production of a note expenses, supported as far
as possible by vouchers and approved by the Clerk of the Assembly.
"
3.3 (c) Amendment of
Article 26 of the Statute of the Council
70. The Committee of Ministers adopted, on 6th February
1958, the following Resolution (58) 3: " The Committee of Ministers,
Having regard to Resolution (50) 5 concerning the admission of the
Saar to the Council of Europe; Having regard to Resolution (51)
19 amplifying Article 26 of the Statute in order to make allowance for
this and other admissions; Bearing in mind the statements made at
the 19th Session in December 1956. by the Representatives of France
and the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Franco-German Agreements
on the Saar; Having regard to Resolution (56) 4 concerning the admission
of Austria to the Council of Europe, Resolves to amend Article 26
of the Statute as follows: Members shall be entitled to the number
of Representatives given below:
- Austria
- 6
- Belgium - 7
- Denmark - 5
- France - 18
- Federal Republic of Germany - 18
- Greece - 7
- Iceland - 3
- Ireland - 4
- Italy - 18
- Luxembourg - 3
- Netherlands - 7
- Norway - 5
- Sweden - 6
- Turkey - 10
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland -
18"
71. This Resolution has been communicated to the Assembly and
appears in Doc. 789. The Committee of Ministers proposes that its
terms be approved by the Assembly.
3.4 (d) Establishment
of an Assembly Committee on Population and Refugees
72. The Committee of Ministers has noted Assembly Resolution
144 (1958) on the establishment of this Committee and on the amendment
of Rule 40 of the Rules of Procedure.
3.5 (e) Calendar of
meetings
73. 1958 20th-29th January Committee of Experts on the
Treatment of Legal Persons (Strasbourg). 4th-8th February 56th Meeting
of the Ministers' Deputies (Strasbourg). 12th February Special session
of the C.E./O. E. E. C. Liaison Committees (Paris). 13th February
Ordinary session of the C.E./O. E. E. C. Liaison Committees (Paris).
17th-21st February 7th session of the Social Committee (Strasbourg).
19th-26th February Committee of Experts on Compulsory Motor Insurance
(Strasbourg). 20th-22nd February Administrative Council of the Council
of Europe Resettlement Fund (Paris). 25th-26th February Governing
Body of the Council of Europe Resettlement Fund (Paris). 25th-26th
February Bureau of the Committee of Cultural Experts (Strasbourg).
28th February Sub-committee on the equivalence of diplomas (Strasbourg).
3rd-4th March Selection Committee for medical fellowships for 1958
(Strasbourg). 3rd-5th March Special Committee of Senior Officials
for the simplification of frontier formalities (Athens). 4th-7th
March 12th session of the Committee of Experts on Social Security
(Strasbourg). 7th March C.E./O. E. E. C. Liaison Committees attended
by members of the Assembly's Cultural Committee (Paris). lOth-llth
March Bureau of the Conference on the Revision of History Textbooks
(Strasbourg). 10th-15th March Sub-commission of Human Rights (Strasbourg).
17th-21st March 12th Session of the European Commission of Human
Rights (Strasbourg). 24th-25th and 27th-29th March 57th Meeting
of the Ministers' Deputies (Strasbourg). 26th March 58th Meeting
of the Ministers' Deputies (Strasbourg). 15th April 59th Meeting
of the Ministers' Deputies (Strasbourg). 16th-23rd April Committee
of Legal Experts on Mutual Assistance in regard to Criminal Proceedings.
17th-18th April Working Party on the European Civil Service (Paris).
25th-26th April 60th Meeting of the Ministers' Deputies (Strasbourg).
4 SECTION III - Relations
with International Organisations
4.1 CHAPTER I
4.1.1 (a) Organisation
for European Economic Cooperation
74. The Committee of Ministers has noted the letter from
theSecretary-General of 0 . E. E. C. announcing the new composition
of the 0 E E C Liaison Committee, which from now until 31st July
1958 will consist of the following delegations:
- France - Chairman
- Federal Republic of Germany
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Switzerland.
75. In view of the changes made in the composition of the 0 E
E C Liaison Committee, the Committee of Ministers has decided to
increase the number of Government representatives on the Council
of Europe Liaison Committee from three to five. This Committee will
henceforth comprise the Government representatives of the following
countries:
- United Kingdom
- Chairman
- Belgium
- Greece
- Italy
- Sweden.
76. This decision has been communicated to the President of the
Assembly.
77. The 22nd special meeting of the C.E./ 0. E. E. C. Liaison
Committees was held in Paris on 12th February 1958. It was devoted
to an exchange of views on the negotiations in progress at 0. E.
E. C. for the establishment of a Free Trade Area.
78. The 21st ordinary meeting of the Liaison Committees was held
in Paris on 13th February 1958 and was devoted, in particular, to
a discussion of Assembly Recommendation 157 (1958) (see paras. 8
and 9).
4.1.2 (b) Liaison group
of information services of European institutions
79. This group, set up with the approval of the Committee
of Ministers, has continued to meet regularly. Various decisions
have been taken, particularly for the co-ordination of the work
of E. C. S. C, 0. E. E. Ci and the Council of Europe in connection
with the Brussels Exhibition. A number of joint activities have
been undertaken.
4.1.3 (c) Consultative
Committee of Secretaries-General
80. As a result of Assembly Recommendation 73 on the
duplication of work between European organisations, adopted on 7th
July 1955, the Committee of Ministers instructed the Secretary-General
to get into touch with the Secretaries-General of the other intergovernmental
organisations in order to examine the possibility of setting up
a co-ordinating committee to examine the question of overlapping
in the work and competence of these organisations. The first meeting
of Secretaries-General took place in Paris on 27th November 1956.
The following organisations took part: I. L. 0., Combined International
Bureaux of Berne, High Authority of E. C. S. C, E. CM. T., I. CE.
M., 0. E. E. C and W. E. U. It was decided to undertake an examination of
the work and competence in the social field of the various organisations
represented at this first meeting.
81. A second meeting of the Consultative Committee took place
on 11th January 1958 to examine the report prepared by the officials
responsible for social questions in the Secretariats of the participating
organisations concerning the programmes of work in the social field.
82. The Secretaries-General also reviewed the problems of possible
overlapping in the activities of the various organisations and decided
to inform each other as soon as harmful duplication seemed likely
to occur.
83. The Consultative Committee will meet again in the course of
the year to examine the activities of their organisations in the
economic, administrative and cultural fields from the point of view
of possible overlapping and coordination of effort.
4.2 CHAPTER II – Consultative
status for non-governmental organisations
84. The Committee of Ministers continued its examination
of Assembly Recommendation 153 (1957) (see Doc. 770, paras. 77 and
78) and decided to transmit to the Social Committee for an opinion
the application received from the International Association for
Social Progress, to the Committee of Cultural Experts the application
of the European Centre for International Exchanges, and to the Committee
of Experts on Public Health the application of the World Veterans
Federation.
85. With regard to the other requests referred to in the Assembly
Recommendation, the Committee of Ministers adopted the following
Resolution (58) 7:
" The Committee
of Ministers,
Having regard to the provisions adopted governing the
grant of consultative status to international non-governmental organisations;
Having regard to Recommendation 153 (1957) of the Consultative
Assembly on requests for consultative status received from certain
organisations of this type;
Having regard to the applications submitted by the organisations
concerned,
Resolves:
1. to grant Consultative Status, Category B to:
- the International Commission
against Concentration Camp Practices,
- L'Union internationale des Maires;
2. to grant Consultative Status, Category C to:
- the European Union of Accountants,
- the European Council of Junior Chambers of Commerce.
Appendix – Regulations
concerning medical fellowships
Council
of Europe Fellowships for the benefit of the Medical Profession
and Personnel of Health Services
I. OBJECT
The fellowships are designed to enable members of the medical
and paramedical professions and of the health services:
i to become conversant with new techniques
practised in European countries,
ii to participate in studies and research of common European
interest.
II. REGULATIONS
A. General
Regulations
1. Candidates shall normally be nationals of a Member
of the Council of Europe.
2. Candidates shall be proposed by a Government Member of the
Council of Europe. The Government shall send the requests for fellowships
to the Council of Europe indicating the order of their priority
and the date on which the Fellow wishes to begin his research work.
3. Applications shall be examined in the Secretariat of the Council
of Europe for the purposes of paragraphs B and C below.
4. The duration of a fellowship shall, as a rule, be from 3 to
12 months.
5. Each fellowship should, as far as possible, be valid in only
one country, being a Member of the Council of Europe or an Observer
at the Committee of Experts on Public Health.
6. The award of the fellowships shall be made by an ad hoc committee
appointed by the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe. The
committee will be composed of two members, elected annually by the
Committee of Experts, with a chairman who shall be a personality
of high European standing, appointed by the Secretary- General of
the Council of Europe. The Selection Committee shall meet not later
than the end of February each year. Its decisions will take account,
so far as possible, of the proposals made by national health administrations.
7. The fellowships shall be administered in accordance with the
rules laid down in the Annex to these Regulations.
B. Regulations
concerning fellowships under I (i)
1. the distribution of fellowships among member countries
shall be decided by the Secretary- General of the Council of Europe
and reviewed from time to time, taking into consideration the health
problems of the countries concerned.
2. After the award of the fellowships and subject to the approval
of the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, arrangements
shall be made directly between the receiving country and the Fellow,
the liaison section of whose country of origin shall be kept fully
informed.
C. Regulations
concerning fellowships under I (ii)
The Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, on the proposal
of the Committee of Experts, shall select the subjects of study
and research of common interest for the promotion of the health
of the European people and shall decide the number of fellowships
to be awarded in this field.
APPENDIX
1. The health service of each member country shall send
to the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe a statement indicating
the number of Fellows which it can receive under this programme
and a brief outline of the subjects of study or research which Fellows
can pursue. Amendments to this statement shall be sent similarly
as they occur. This information Avill be sent by the Secretary-General
of the Council of Europe to the health services of all Member Governments.
2. On or before 31st January each year, a member country wishing
to apply for any of the facilities offered under paragraph 1, shall
indicate to the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe the number
of fellowships required stating in each case the type and duration
of the fellowship and the order of priority of the centres in which
the Fellow wishes to pursue the fellowship.
3. The Secretary-General of the Council of Europe shall convene
an ad hoc committee to allocate the fellowships of each of the types
mentioned and which are available within the sum provided in the
budget of the Council of Europe.
4. The ad hoc committee, in allocating the fellowships, shall
pay due regard to the objects of the programme and the needs of
the countries applying for fellowships. In addition, the ad hoc
committee will establish a list of fellowships which have been applied
for but not granted, but which are recommended for a future award.
5. The ad hoc committee shall meet at least once a year on a
date which will allow it to communicate its findings to Members
and to give at least three months' notice to receiving countries
before the arrival of Fellows.
6. The report of the ad hoc committee shall be submitted to the
Committee of Experts on Public Health and to Member Governments.
In the latter case the report will be accompanied by the application
forms of the Fellows who have been awarded fellowships in the country
concerned.
7. Subsistence rates shall be determined by the Secretariat-General
of the Council of Europe, regard being paid to the rates in force
in other international organisations for Fellowships of a comparable
character. Where a Fellow is provided by the receiving country with
accommodation and/or board, the subsistence rate shall be reduced
proportionately.
8. Arrangements for dependents who accompany a Fellow shall be
the responsibility of the Fellow.
9. The name and address in the receiving country of a centre
to which a Fellow should report and with which he should keep in
touch during his stay will be notified to him before his arrival.
10. The Secretary-General of the Council of Europe may, if he
deems it necessary, ascertain that the linguistic capacity of the
Fellow is of a standard which will enable him to benefit fully from
the fellowship.
11. If any savings are effected during the current programme,
the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe shall make the necessary
arrangements to allocate the fellowship months which thus become available.
If a Fellow is unable to take up his fellowship in whole or in part,
the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe may allocate the
fellowship months thus becoming available to one or more candidates
conditionally chosen by the Selection Committee, giving preference,
wherever possible, to a candidate from the same country.
CHART SHOWING
THE DEPOSIT OF RATIFICATIONS OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONVENTIONS AND AGREEMENTS
(Situation as at 15.4.1958)
1. General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council
of Europe.
2. Protocol to the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities
of the Council of Europe.
3. Second Protocol to the General Agreement on Privileges
and Immunities of the Council of Europe (Provisions regarding members
of the European Commission of Human Rights).
4. Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms.
5. Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
6. Declaration regarding Article 63 of the Convention for
the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Application
of the Convention to Territories for whose International Relations
the Parties aro responsible).
7. Declaration regarding Article 25 of the Convention for
the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Right of
Individual Petition).
8. Declaration regarding Article 46 of the Convention for
the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Jurisdiction
of the Court).
9. European Interim Agreement on Social Security other than
Schemes for Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors.
10. Protocol to the European Interim Agreement on Social Security
other than Schemes for Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors.
11. European Interim Agreement on Social Security Schemes
relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors.
12. Protocol to the European Interim Agreement on Social Security
Schemes relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors.
13. European Convention on Social and Medical Assistance.
14. Protocol to the European Convention on Social and Medical
Assistance.
15. European Convention relating to the Formalities required
for Patent Applications.
16. European Convention on the International Classification
of Patents for Invention.
17. European Convention on the Equivalence of Diplomas leading
to Admission to Universities.
18. European Cultural Convention.
19. European Convention on the Equivalence of Periods of University
Study.
20. European Convention on Establishment.
21. Agreement on the Exchange of War Cripples between Member
Countries of the Council of Europe with a view to Medical Treatment.
22. European Convention on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes.
23. European Convention on Extradition.
24. European Agreement on Regulations governing the movement
of persons between Member States of the Council of Europe.
